Blenkinsopp Castle Inn

We stayed overnight at the inn. Don’t! The hotel is adjacent to a retirement trailer park and the hotel car park serves as an overnight stop for motor homes. At 10 degrees outside temperature the heating was not working. The room was airless without any windows. For any ventilation the door to the car park had to stay open. The room stank of cheap cleaning products, stuffy, stale, cold air. The kitsch decor is a matter of taste. Basic comfort though is necessary, especially if the charge per person per night is over $300!!!!. A thin cotton cover was the only bedding provided on the hard bed. To survive the cold I ended up sleeping dressed in 2 jumpers, and woollen leggings, and in desperation used the blanket supplied for dogs sleeping on the bed! The room lights up at night with a large green EXIT sign, which can’t be turned off. Every wall is covered in “don’t do… “ stickers. The bathroom sink missed the drain, the plastic shower cubicle had no handles to actually open the door, and a step in the middle of the bathroom caused me to fall twice during the night. The lady at reception for checkin was as scary as the place itself. The breakfast was good, but we did not sleep a wink. It was a memorable experience, but for all the wrong reasons.

The hosts were amazing in their welcome. Room 2 was clean and comfortable. The food was exceptional with great care being taken to ensure my allergies were catered for. We were not rushed for any of our meals. The serving staff were delightful and the wine excellent. Nothing was too much trouble and when we needed to extend our stay they recommended a brilliant hotel. We will be back .